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Leeds celebrated its largest graduating class ever on Sunday, May 3, with three recognition ceremonies honoring the Class of 2026.

More than 1,900 undergraduate and graduate students—the largest graduating class in Leeds’ history—crossed the stage in celebration of their achievements. Student and faculty award winners were also recognized during the ceremonies; see the full list of honorees.

In his opening remarks, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean Vijay Khatri reflected on several significant milestones, including CU Boulder’s 150th anniversary and 120 years of business education at the college. He also marked 25 years since the naming of the Leeds School of Business, reinforcing the school’s mission “to cultivate a collaborative and innovative ecosystem centered on impactful business knowledge, immersive learning and values-based leadership.”

“At Leeds, education is both immersive and holistic, pairing cutting-edge classroom learning with diverse experiential and career opportunities that show you where to look without telling you what to see,” Khatri said.

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��Be humble, enjoy the grind, and don’t listen to the haters.����

—Beryl Stafford
Founder and Owner of Bobo's

A trio of real-world lessons

Keynote speaker Beryl Stafford, founder and visionary behind Boulder-based , shared the three biggest life lessons that shaped her entrepreneurial journey. Stafford built ���Dz���’s from the ground up, growing it into an international brand recognized for its wholesome snack products and sustainable approach to business.

Reflecting candidly on how she launched and scaled her homegrown venture, Stafford described her recipe for success as three essential ingredients: grit, instincts and determination. Rather than viewing her lack of formal business training as a limitation, she leaned into her entrepreneurial spirit—building skills, seeking support and ultimately growing ���Dz���’s into a 100‑million‑dollar household brand.

Here are the three lessons she shared that have stood the test of time.

Lesson 1: Ditch the naysayers
“Naysayers are everywhere, and your family could be the worst. Don’t listen to them!” Stafford advised. She encouraged graduates to surround themselves with people who believe in their ideas and to intentionally build their networks. “Find your cheerleaders. There’s strong magic in that.”

Lesson 2: Get your grit on
“I believe grit matters more than your grades,” Stafford emphasized. Drawing on her own experiences, she described how she challenged what it means to be smart—and what it means to face failure head-on. By feeling fear and moving forward anyway, she pushed herself into sales conversations and executive presentations that kept her business visible and growing.

Lesson 3: Hone your humility
Stafford also shared hard-earned lessons from hands-on work, from wearing a hairnet to hosting in-store demos—experiences she credits as instrumental to ���Dz���’s success.

She summed up her advice in an inspirational line: “Be humble, enjoy the grind, and don’t listen to the haters.”

Go forth

“You leave with more than an education and the friendships you’ve built at CU Boulder; you carry forward the values that define Leeds,” Khatri reminded graduates.

“At the heart of those values is a shared vision: to elevate business as a force for good in a rapidly changing world.”